Packaging machine



A. c. TRACY 3,380,226

PACKAGING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l bm@ SNWM E?- M Ilrll.. Nm

April 3o, 196s Filed March 2l, 1966 April 30, 1968 A. c. TRACY 3,380,226

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed March 21, 196e 5 sheets-smet 2 A; CA TRACY April 3o, 1968 PACKAGING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 23 Q Q N m NQ s United States Patent O m 3,380,226 PACKAGING MACHINE Alan C. Tracy, Davenport, Iowa, assignor to The Kartridg Pak Co., Davenport, Iowa, a corporation of Iowa Filed Mar. 21, 1966, Ser. No. 536,083 8 Claims. (Cl. 53-138) This invention relates to packaging machines and is more particularly concerned with improvements in a machine of the type which feeds material to be packaged into a continuous tube of relatively thin, pliable packaging film, and constricts, seals and severs the filled tube at intervals to divide the same into a plurality of separate individual packages.

One form of packaging machine which has heretofore been developed and used successfully in packaging a variety of products comprises mechanism for advancing a continuous tube of thin, pliable, packaging ilm along a hollow mandrel through which a product is supplied to the tube, associated mechanism for constricting the tube at intervals and for applying thereto pairs of seal forming metal bands which subsequently form the end closures when the constricted tube is severed between the closely spaced sealing bands of each pair thereof. One such machine is disclosed in Jensen and Eberman Patent No. 2,831,302. It includes a reciprocable constricting yand sealing head together with associated mechanism for forming from a spool of flat wire pairs of generally U-shaped closure forming metal clips or bands which are transferred to the constricting and sealing head for application to the constricted areas of the tube. While machines of this character have been used for packaging various products in a satisfactory manner, it has been found that the package produced by such machines can be improved, particularly with respect to the end seals, by modifying the design of the machine so that it will form and apply round wire closure clips, and it is a general object of this invention to provide a machine of the type described which is adapted to form the closure clips from round wire and apply the same to the constricted areas of the tube so as to obtain an improved seal.

It is another object of the invention to provide in a packaging machine of the type wherein a tubular casing of thin, pliant, skin-like material is yadvanced in telescoping relation along a filling mandrel, an improved casing constricting and sealing head having clip gripping fingers for removing metal clips from an anvil on which the clips are initially formed into a C shape, and associated means for clinching the clips about constricted portions of the casing so as to form about the casing successive pairs of tightly curled closure members, thereby providing a seal for adjacent ends of successive lengths of the filled casing.

It is a further object of the invention to provide in a tube forming, filling and closing apparatus of the type described an improved tube constricting and closure applying head and associated clip forming and transfer mechanism which is adapted to preliminarily form lengths of round wire into C-shaped clips, to transfer successive pairs of the C-shaped clips from the forming mechanism to the tube constricting and closure applying head and to apply and clinch the clips about constricted portions of the tube so as to seal the same.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent -from a consideration of the apparatus which is shown by way of illustration in the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a partial side elevation of a packaging machine having incorporated therein mechanism embodying the principal features of the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a cross section taken on the line 2 2 of FIGURE 1, with portions broken away, the view show- 3,380,226 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 ing the mechanism for preliminarily forming round wire closure clips into U shape on a reciprocably mounted anvil member on which the clips are transferred tothe tube constricting and clip applying head;

FIGURE 3 is a partial front elevation taken on the line 3 3 of FIGURE 2, the View showing the mechanism for preliminarily forming the clips and transferring the same to the tube constricting and clip applying head;

FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the clip forming anvil and transfer member;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary cross section, taken on the line 5 5 of FIGURE 4, to a larger scale;

FIGURE 6 is a cross section taken on the line 4 4 of FIGURE 1, to an enlarged scale, the view showing the tube constricting and closure clip applying head;

FIGURE 7 is a view similar to FIGURE 6, to an enlarged scale, and with the tube constricting and closure applying elements in the tube engaging or closed position;

FIGURES 8A and 8B `constitute a vertical section taken on the line 8 8 of FIGURE 7, to a larger scale;

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary plan view showing a portion of the tube constricting and clip applying head of FIGURES 6 to 8, the view being to a larger scale with portions of the topmost constricting plate broken away, and the tube constricting and clip applying elements being in a partially closed position;

FIGURE 10 is an elevation, with portions broken away, of the package produced by the machine; and

FIGURE 11 is a cross section taken on the line 11 11 of FIGURE l0, to an enlarged scale.

Referring to the drawings, there is illustrated a portion of a packaging machine for forming a continuous tube T from a web W which is folded about a hollow tubular mandrel 10 through which a flowable product is supplied with the tube T being advanced to a vertically reciprocating tube constricting and closure applying head 11 which is mounted for reciprocation above a clip forming apparatus indicated at 12. The aforementioned apparatus is supported on a vertically disposed frame 14 which carries associated mechanism for supplying a product to the mandrel 10, for supporting a supply roll of the lm W, longitudinal seal forming mechanism and drive means for the same, all of `which may be constructed in accordance with the disclosure in Jensen and Eberman Patent No. 2,831,302 to which reference is made for details not specically described herein.

The web W is fed around a forming collar 15 and onto the mandrel 10 where it is formed into a tube and its overlapped margins are sealed longitudinally by a suitable sealing mechanism (not shown). The tube T is filled with a product through the hollow mandrel 10 and adwanced below the same by a suitable feeding roll mechanism 16 which grips a portion of the tube and continuously advances the same to the vertically reciprocating head 11, the latter being supported for reciprocation in a vertical path on frame side members 17 and moved in its vertical path by reciprocation of associated supporting rods or slides 18.

Closure clips 20 are preliminarily formed from two strands of round wire 21 by the clip forming mechanism 12 (FIGURES 2 and 3). The clip forming wire 21 is fed from a suitable supply (not shown) by a pair of intermittently driven feed rolls 22 and 23 which are suitably mounted for wire gripping co-operation on a vertically disposed frame support plate 24. The clip forming mecha` nism 12 comprises an anvil member 25 which is mounted on the top of a vertical reciprocating rod 25. The rod 25' may be reciprocated as described in Patent No. 2,831,- 302. The anvil member 25, which is shaped as shown in FIGURES 2 to 5, is guided for movement between a pair of spaced guide plates 26 forming a trackway and secured to a supporting block 27 extending forwardly from the vertical plate 24. A severing and forming mechanism is mounted in opposed relation to the anvil member on a bracket 2S extending forwardly of the vertical plate 24. It comprises a horizontally reciprocating plate member which is mounted in an operating trackway 31 in the bracket 28 and which is held in position therein by a cover plate 32. The forming plate 30 is reciprocated laterally of the bracket 28 by means of a cam pin or roller 33 which extends into a diagonal cam slot 34 in a vertically reciprocating plate 35 mounted in a guideway forming slot 36 in the bracket 28. The guideway slot 36 is provided with antifriction rollers 37. The plate 35 is mounted on the upper end of a vertically reciprocating cam rod 40 which has a suitable connection (not shown) with the drive mechanism for the machine. The forming plate 30 is provided with a recess 41 on the edge thereof shaped to co-operate with a vertical edge portion 42 on the anvil 25 to form a pair of closure members 20 around the same. Vertically spaced punch or ejector members 43 are arranged in bores 44 which communicate with the recess 41 on the edge of the forming plate 30 with the ends of the ejector members 43 extending into the recess 41. The other ends of the ejectors 43 are headed and backed by compression springs 45 in enlarged bores 46 so that the ejectors 43 are urged toward the anvil 25 and prevent return of preformed closure members 20 upon return movement of the forming plate 30. The one forward edge of the forming plate 30 co-operates with the edge of a cutting block 47 on one of the guide members 26 to sever the wires 21 and provide the proper length of material for formation of the closure clips 20. The forward portion 42 of the mandrel 25 is shaped or cut away as indicated at 48 to provide a seat for the clips with the bottom thereof tapering upwardly so as to permit wipe-od of the clips as hereinafter described. The clips are formed in a generally C shape on the anvil 25. The anvil 25 has riblike formations 50 and the clip forming wire is swaged onto these rib-like formations so that the latter hold the clips on the anvil 25 during their transfer to the constricting and applying head 11. The anvil member 25 and the clip forming plate 30 are operated in timed relation with the movement of the tube constricting and closure applying elements in the head 11 as hereinafter described.

The tube constricting and closure applying head 11 comprises a transversely extending, generally rectangular frame which is provided at opposite ends with depending support rods or arms 18 extending generally vertically and located inwardly of the side frame members 17. The

rods 18 are reciprocated in an axial path in the manner set out in patent No. 2,831,302. The head 11 carries mechanism for constricting the lled tube T at predetermined spaced intervals and for simultaneously positioning and clinching around the constricted area, in spaced relation, a pair of closure bands or clips 20 which are preformed and delivered to the head 11 in timid relation to the movement of the constricting mechanism by the clip forming and transfer apparatus 12 described above. The head 11 includes oppositely disposed end blocks 61 and 62 which are slidably mounted in an identical manner in the Lframe 60, each of the blocks being provided along its side edges with guide strips 63 and the frame 60 being provided with recessed guideway forming strip portions 64 which are secured thereto in a suitable manner with the guide strips 63 extending into the guide recesses 64 and permitting the blocks 61 and 62 to slide toward and from each other. The slide blocks 61 and 62 are provided with cam slots 65 and 66, respectively, which extend transversely of the frame member 60. The cam slots 65 and 66 are adapted to receive cam rollers 67 which are carried on the outer ends of cam arms 68, the latter being mounted in the top ends of vertically extending operating shafts 69 which are connected at their bottom ends in driving relation with the main drive mechanisrn for the machine.

The block 61 has secured to its inner edge a plurality of relatively thin, inwardly projecting tube constricting plate members which are of generally rectangular shape and which comprises top and bottom plates 71, 72 and four intermediate plates 73, 74, 75 and 76 which are arranged in spaced relation between the top and bottom plates 71 and 72. Each of the tube constricting plates is provided on its inner free end with an inwardly opening, generally V-shaped slot 77 which merges at the apex with a pocket forming slot 78 having a semi-circular terminus. The constricting plates are secured on the slide block 61 by means of laterally spaced block members 79 and 80 which have inwardly projecting slotted portions for receiving the outer edge portions of the plates and which are in turn secured on the inner edge of the slide block 61 by means of conventional fasteners. The constricting plates 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76 are held in superimposed relation on the supporting members 79 and 80 bymeans of a pair of removable headed pins 81 which pass through co-operating aligned apertures provided in the plates and the supporting members, thereby providing for ready disassembly of the plates from the block 61 and the supporting members 79 and 80.

Closure clip holding and applying mechanisms 82 and 82' are arranged in sliding relation between the top plate 71 and the next adjacent plate 73 and between the bottom plate 72 and the next adjacent plate 76 (FIGURES 6 to 9). These mechanisms are identical and only the top mechanism 82 will be described. It comprises a relatively narrow, generally rectangular center plate 85 which is secured by removable pin 86 to a small block 87 which is slidably mounted in the recess 88 in the slide block 61 between the plate supporting members 79 and 80. The plate 85 which forms a clip engaging punch is reduced in width at 89, near its inner end, and terminates in a clip engaging end edge 90 which has a concave surface. A pair of clip gripping side plate members or fingers 91 and 91 are arranged in reciprocating relation on opposite sides of the punch plate 85 with straight trailing end portions thereof guided by pairs of laterally spaced pins 92 and 92 on the slide block 61 and with their lateral movement controlled at their forward ends by pins 93 and 93 depending from the top plate 71, the oppositely disposed outer edges of the plates 91 and 91 serving as stops operating against the pins 93 and 93. Inner opposed edges of the plates 91 and 91' are grooved at 94 and 94 to receive the leg portions of a C-shaped clip 20. The fingers 91 and 91' are urged forwardly 0r inwardly in the direction of the center of the frame 60 by a spring pulled plate or slide member 95 which is slidably mounted on the top constricting plate 71 with a pair of headed pins 96 and 96 extending downwardly through elongate key-hole shaped guide apertures 97 and 97 in the constricting plate 71. A tension spring 98 is connected at one end to a pin 99 upstanding on the top constricting plate 71 and at the other end to a punched up lug 99 on the slide plate 95. The headed portions of the pins 96 and 96 engage shoulders 100 and 100 on the clip gripping ngers 91 and 91'. The movement of the slide plate 95 is limited by the fingers 91 and 91' bearing against the pins 93 and 93. The recessed edges 94 and 94' of the fingers 91 and 91' and the concave end 90 of the punch plate 85 define a pocket for receiving the closure forming clip 20 which is delivered thereto by the forming anvil 25. The small slide block 87 which carries the clip punch plate 85 is secured to and its movement is controlled by a top plate or cam member 101 of rectangular shape which is slidably mounted on the top face of the slide block 61. The cam plate 101 has a small block 102 attached to its lower face at the outer margin thereof and the block 102 is seated in recess 103 in the outer cdge of the slide block 61. The block 102 is urged in the outer direction by compression spring 104 which is seated at one end in a pocket forming bore on the inner side of the block 102 and at the other end in a pocket forming bore in the outer side or edge of the slide block 61. The cam plate 101 is provided with a cam slot 105, the inner edge of which constitutes a cam track adapted to be engaged by the cam roller 67 as the latter travels in the cam slot 65 in the slide block 61.

The slide block 62 at the opposite end of the frame 60 carries in inwardly extending relation thereon casing or tube constricting plates for co-operation with the constricting plates carried on the slide block 61 and also clincher plate mechanisms 106 and 106 for co-operation with the clip holding and clinching mechanisms 82 and 82', only one of which will be described in detail since they are of the same construction. The clincher plate mechanisms 106 and 106 are arranged in vertically spaced relation on opposite sides of a central, inwardly extending knife member 107 and include clincher support plates 10S and 108 which are secured in recesses 109 at the inner edge of the slide lblock 62 by cap screws 110 and extend inwardly within the frame 60 toward the slide block 61 at the other end thereof. The topmost support plate 108 is provided at its inner edge with a generally rectangular slot or recess 111 which extends inwardly of the edge of the plate and which is adapted to receive the end portions of the fingers 91 and 91 which are carried by the opposite slide block 61 and which carry the clip 20. A central T-shaped recess 112 in the edge of the plate 108 receives a correspondingly shaped clip clinching insert 113 of relatively hard metal which has a concave inner edge 114 providing a clinching surface for engagement with the free ends of the legs of the clip 20. The clip gripping ends of the fingers 91 and 91 are aligned with the punch forming insert 113 by engagement in the recess 111 during the clinching operation. The knife member 107 which is located in vertically spaced relation between the rectangular support plates 108 and 108 is in the form of an elongate rectangular plate with a diagonal cutting edge at its inner end. It is connected at its outer end to the plates 108 and 108' by removable pin 115 which passes through vertically aligned apertures therein.

Upper and lower constricting plates 116 and 117 are arranged on opposite sides of the knife 107 with their outer or upper and lower faces, respectively, in spaced relation with the adjacent inner faces of the clincher plates 108 and 108'. The clincher plates 108, 108', knife 10'7 and the constricting plates 116 and 117 are all received within one end of a guideway forming housing 118 which is detachably connected with slide block 62. The housing 118 comprises side members 120 which are connected by top and bottom constricting plates 121 Iand 122 with the latter being rigidly secured at opposite side margins to the top and bottom faces of the side members 120 and cooperating therewith to form a hollow casing of less width than the inside diameter of the cross frame 60. The side members 120 of the housing 118 are provided with vertically spaced, longitudinally extending guideways forming longitudinal slots for receiving the side edges of the clincher support plates 108, 108' and the constrictingV plates while at the inner end they are provided with vertically spaced guideway forming slots for receiving the marginal edges of the constricting plates 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76 which are secured to and extend inwardly of the inner edge of the slide block 61.

The housing 118 is secured to an L-shaped slide member 125 which has a block-like base portion 126 mounted for sliding movement in a rectangular 'recess 127 in the slide block 62. The recess 127 opens on the upper face of the slide block 62 and extends inwardly of the inner edge thereof a greater distance than the recess 109 so that there is sufficient clearance for limited sliding movement of the slide member 125 relative to the slide block 62. The housing 118 is secured to the relatively thin plate-like stem or leg portion of the L-shaped slide member 125 which extends in the direction of the slide block and along the lower face of the knife 107 with an Upwardly opening guideway forming recess 128 therein for the knife 107. The housing 118 is connected to the L- shaped slide member by removable pins 130 which yare engaged in suitable aligned apertures provided in the plate members 108, 108', 121 and 122 and in the slide member 125. The slide member 125 is slotted at 131 to accommodate the pin 115 and permit the Same to slide relative to the slide block 62, the clincher support plates 108, 108 and the knife 107.

The clincher support plates 108 Aand 108 are slotted at 132 to accommodate the pins 130 and permit rel-ative movement between the housing 118 and the clincher plate and knife assembly. The constricting plates 116, 117, 121 and 122 are each provided on the edges which are in facing relation with the slide block 61 with an inwardly extending, V-shaped slot 133 having the apex thereof in the form of a semi circle. The constricting plates 116, 117, 121 and 122 are arranged with the slotted edges aligned for co-operation with the slotted edges of the constricting plates 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76 which are carried on the slide block 61 and which interleave with the plates 116, 117, 121 and 122 when the slide blocks 61 and 62 move tow-ard each other for the casing or tube constricting operation. Filler plates are riveted or otherwise secured on the faces of the constricting plates 116, 117, 121 and 122 which are generally triangular shaped, the end portion at the apex having the concave shape of the pocket forming recesses in the constricting plates and being in Ialignment with the apex portion of the slots 133. The end portions of the ller plates prevent the tube material from bulging into the spaces between the constricting plates and also help to hold 'the legs of the closure clips in alignment as they are clinched on the constricted tube or casing.

The slide member 125 is controlled in its movement relative to the slide block 62 by a rectangular cam plate 134 which is mounted for sliding movement 0n the top of the slide block 62 and which is secured at its inner margin to the top face of the slide member 125 by bolts 135. The plate 134 is provided with a cam slot 136 which receives the cam roller 67 and which is shaped to provide for the desired reciprocating movement of the casing constricting, closure clinching and knife members carried by the slide member 125. At its rear edge the Cam |pl-ate 134 is guided relative to the slide block 62 by a guide pin 137 which extends into the cooperating guide slot 138 in the plate 134.

In operating the slide blocks 61 and 62 to accomplish the casing constricting and closure applying movements the cam roller 67 is first operated to move the slide block 61 inwardly a sucient distance to receive the closure clips 20 from the reciprocating anvil 25. The anvil 25 is retracted vertically out of the horizontal path of the slide blocks 61 and 62 and cam rollers 67 are operated to move the slide blocks 61 and 62 toward each other and the filled casing until the casing is fully constricted in the V-shaped slots in the ends of the interleaved constricting plates on the respective slide blocks. As the constricting operation is completed, the ends of the leg portions of the closure clips 20 are engaged by the curved ends of the clincher elements 113 and forced around the constricted area of the casing. The finger members 91 and 91' which are urged inwardly by action 0f the spring pressed slide member are engaged by the inner ends of the clincher elements 113 and retracted as the clinching progresses. The severing knife 107 is moved inwardly with the clincher support plates 108 and 108' and the casing is severed between the closure clips 20 as they are applied. As the slide blocks 61 and 62 begin their return movement, cam roller 67 engages the high point 0n the cam edge of the plate 92 and the plate 85 is moved inwardly relative to the remainder of the mechanism a suicient distance against the action of the spring 98 to function as an ejector for insuring that the closure members 20 move out of the pockets in which they are seated during the clinching operation and there is no tendency for them to follow the retracting members on the slide block 61. The movement of this mechanism is, of course,

timed, so that the proper sequence of operations is obtained.

While particular materials Iand specific details of construction have been described in connection with the illustrated form of the apparatus, it will be understood that other materials and equivalent structural details may be resorted to within the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

1. In a machine for continuously forming a series of packages, which machine is characterized by a hollow filling mandrel through which a product is fed, mechanism for advancing a continuous tube over the mandrel and a mechanism adjacent the end of the mandrel for dividing the filled tube and applying closure forming clips thereon which mechanism comprises av frame mounted for reciprocation in the direction of movement of the advancing tube, tube constricting and closure clip applying heads mounted in said frame for movement toward and from said tube so as to engage the tube at axially spaced points for `constricting a substantial section thereof at each engagement, mechanism for forming and separating from a pair of round metal strips generally C-shaped closure clips, said clip forming mechanism comprising an anvil member mounted for reciprocating movement in a path generally parallel with and adjacent the path of movement of the advancing tube, co-operating movable forming members for shaping the closure clips around the anvil at one point in its path of movement, means to move the anvil from a position in register with said forming members for receiving the closure clips thereon to a position in the path of movement of one of said constricting heads for delivery of successive pairs of closure clips to said head, and said head having pocket forming members resiliently urged into gripping engagement with the closure clips so as to retain the same in the pockets while the anvil retracts and while the head is moved into position for clinching the clips about the constricted portions of the tube, and the other of said constricting heads having co-operating means for clinching the clips about the constricted portion of the tube and for forcing the clip gripping members to a retracted position during the clinching operation so as to release the clips and permit withdrawal thereof from the pockets as said heads are moved away from each other.

2. In a machine as recited in claim 1, and said anvil member being disposed in the direction of movement of the advancing tube and having longitudinally spaced, seat forming shoulders on which the wire clips are formed into generally C shape.

3. In a machine as recited in claim 2, and said anvil member having rib formations for frictionally engaging the legs of the clips as they are formed into C shape and having cut away portions terminating at the seat forming shoulders to permit release of the clips when the anvil member is retracted away from the head after the clips are seated in the pockets therein.

4. In a machine as recited in claim 1, and said constricting heads being mounted for movement toward and from each other in a path which is transverse relative to the path of movement of the anvil member and said pocket forming members being mounted for movement in the palne of the closure clips and having clip engaging edge portions which are recessed to conform to the round shape ofthe leg portions ofthe clips.

5. In a package forming machine having a supporting frame, a hollow mandrel fixed thereon, means for continuously advancing a tube formation along said mandrel in the direction of the axis thereof so as to receive material to be packaged through the mandrel, and means for constricting the tube formation at predetermined areas and applying thereto round wire closure forming clips, said tube constricting means comprising a generally rectangular hollow box-like frame arranged to extend across the path of axial movement of the tube formation, cooperating oppositely disposed slide members mounted for reciprocal movement in said frame on opposite sides of the tube formation, a purality of plates mounted in spaced relation in each of said slide members which plates have generally V-shaped ends extending inwardly of the slide members toward the tube formation in edge opposed relation whereby to move into interleaved relation when the slide members are moved toward each other and to constrict tne tube formation along a substantial portion longitudinally thereof, means mounted in the slide members for receiving pairs of preformed C-shaped round wire closure clips and for applying and clinching said clips about the constricted portions of the tube formation, said clip receiving and clinching means comprising a punch forming plate on the one side and a co-operating clinching anvil member on the other side, the punch forming plate having associated therewith a pair of clip gripping fingers which are mounted in reciprocating sliding relation along the sides of the punch plate and which have oppositely disposed clip gripping edges at their forward ends, a slide plate mounted on the outermost constricting plate and connected thereto by a tension spring, said slide plate having pins engaging shoulder formations on the clip gripping fingers so as to normally urge said fingers forwardly into clip gripping position.

6. In a package forming machine as recited in claim 5 and said outermost constricting plate having guideway forming slots through which the finger engaging pins extend.

7. In a package forming machine as recited in claim 5 and said punch plate and clip gripping fingers being mounted for movement between a pair of said constricting plates land having the forward end portions thereof shaped to conform to the shape of the pre-formed closure clips so as to provide with said constricting plates a pocket for receiving said clips and means for guiding said punch plate and said fingers into clip engaging position when moved inwardly in the direction of the tube formation.

8. In a package forming machine as recited in claim 7 and said guiding means for said punch plate and said ngers including fixed guide pins engaged by the edges of said fingers, and stop forming portions on said edges for co-operation with said guide pins.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,831,302 4/1958 Jensen et al 53--182 X 3,279,033 10/1966 Normand et al 53--138 X 3,324,621 6/1967 Runge 53-138 TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner.

R. L. FARRIS, Assistant Examiner. 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR CONTINUOUSLY FORMING A SERIES OF PACKAGES, WHICH MACHINE IS CHARACTERIZED BY A HOLLOW FILLING MANDREL THROUGH WHICH A PRODUCT IS FED, MECHANISM FOR ADVANCING A CONTINUOUS TUBE OVER THE MANDREL AND A MECHANISM ADJACENT THE END OF THE MANDREL FOR DIVIDING THE FILLED TUBE AND APPLYING CLOSURE FORMING CLIPS THEREON WHICH MECHANISM COMPRISES A FRAME MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATION IN THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT OF THE ADVANCING TUBE, TUBE CONSTRICTING AND CLOSURE CLIP APPLYING HEADS MOUNTED IN SAID FRAME FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD AND FROM SAID TUBE SO AS TO ENGAGE THE TUBE AT AXIALLY SPACED POINTS FOR CONSTRICTING A SUBSTANTIAL SECTION THEREOF AT EACH ENGAGEMENT, MECHANISM FOR FORMING AND SEPARATING FROM A PAIR OF ROUND METAL STRIPS GENERALLY C-SHAPED CLOSURE CLIPS, SAID CLIP FORMING MECHANISM COMPRISING AN ANVIL MEMBER MOUNTED FOR RECIPROCATING MOVEMENT IN A PATH GENERALLY PARALLEL WITH AND ADJACENT THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE ADVANCING TUBE, CO-OPERATING MOVABLE FORMING MEMBERS FOR SHAPING THE CLOSURE CLIPS AROUND THE ANVIL AT ONE POINT IN ITS PATH OF MOVEMENT, MEANS TO MOVE THE ANVIL FROM A POSITION IN REGISTER WITH SAID FORMING MEMBERS FOR RECEIVING THE CLOSURE CLIPS THEREON TO A POSITION 